Fifth generation (5G) wireless refers to a proposed telecommunications standard that is set to replace the current fourth generation (4G) telecommunications standard. 5G aims to offer improved network capability including faster download speeds, greater bandwidth, spectral efficiency, lower latency, etc. The 5G standard will use a high frequency/short wavelength frequency spectrum, e.g., in the range of 20 GHz-60 GHz, which corresponds to wavelengths in the range of 5 mm-15 mm. In 5G systems, small die area and wide bandwidth are important design requirements.
RF transmitter/receiver circuits that are designed for RF communications systems, such as 5G systems, typically include passive electrical components to, among other things, provide impedance matching and/or to provide filtering of higher order harmonics. Examples of these passive electrical components include capacitors, inductors, transformers, baluns, etc. At higher frequencies, e.g., frequencies in the 5G range, parasitic effects become more predominant and problematic. For this reason, integrated solutions for passive electrical components are gaining increased favor, as these parasitic effects can be dramatically reduced by eliminating bond wire connections. For example, semiconductor integrated circuits can include reactive components that are formed in one or more of the back end of the line metallization layers of the device. According to another technique, a PCB-based semiconductor device package can include passive electrical components incorporated into the PCB layers. Examples of these packages are described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,629,246 to Mu, the content of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, and U.S. application Ser. No. 15/046,923 to Mu, the content of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
As power consumption and/or the footprint of circuity decreases, heat plays a critical role in the performance of the circuity. The electrical parameters of passive electrical components such as Q-factor can be detrimentally impacted by high temperature operation. Thus, designers are seeking solutions to provide passive electrical components with a small footprint that can operate at higher frequency/power without overheating.